According to experts, at least one million migrant workers are “migrant workers” in Moscow, and every tenth newborn in the capital appears in a family where at least one of the parents is a foreigner. Therefore, the problem of the attitude of indigenous people to visitors from abroad is very relevant for this metropolis.
In order to somehow resist the formation of a negative image of labor migrants, the Moscow authorities decided to use social advertising more widely. The City Department of Media and Advertising ordered the creation of several dozen short videos about Moscow in general and about foreigners in this metropolis in particular. The content of 15 clips should be aimed at "preventing extremism, religious and racial intolerance."
According to representatives of the department, the idea is that foreigners in short half-minute stories talk about some remarkable place in the capital or about personal memories associated with this city. "A little story, touching and sincere", which should end with the personal appeal of the hero of the clip in his native language. It is assumed that it will be an expression of love for Moscow and an invitation for compatriots to visit the capital of Russia.
The city hall says that the ordered video products will become part of the Safe City program, designed for the period from 2012 to 2016. Some of the videos in this series should talk about how friendly a multinational metropolis can be. Although it is planned to show new social advertising only on TV channels in the Moscow region, it is only partially addressed to Muscovites. According to Maya Lomidze, director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, it would be more advisable to show videos with the appeal of foreigners to potential tourists. And Nikolai Kurdyumov, chairman of the Labor Migration Alliance, believes that any social advertising that will shape the positive image of migrants will be useful. Especially if the videos will reflect real, not far-fetched stories about migrant workers, their families and the benefits that these people bring to a multi-million city.
